Ex-Factor
by Dream-chan
Summary: Set a few years after Tenchi in Tokyo: Ryoko finally gives what I think Tenchi deserves...hope you enjoy and don't forget to R&R ^_~


Author's Notes:  
  
Hello to all my Tenchi Muyo fans out there! Well, seeing how this is my first fic in this fandom allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dream- chan and I've been a Tenchi fan for almost four months now. Even though I'm new to this fandom, I'm not a stranger to writing fanfiction (have fics for Digimon on FF.net)  
  
I know that this is an old song, but after hearing it, I could help but want to write a fic for it and after thinking about it, I thought this would fit perfectly with the Tenchi Muyo storyline. Before I go on, I might as well tell you that I've only seen CN Tenchi OAV, Universe, and in Tokyo so if something off, blame the American censors! ^_^ As for the direction of this fic, I've decided to do my own rendition of what happens after Yugi is put to sleep. I know this might be a clichÃ©d plot, but that is what makes fanfiction so fun.... the many possibilities ^_~  
  
  
  
  
  
Now, with all that said and done, let's get this fic on the road.  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi Muyo! nor the song featured in this fic. They belong to AIC/Pioneer and Lauryn Hill, respectively.  
  
  
  
  
  
"dialogue"  
  
/thoughts/  
  
mind link  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ex-Factor  
  
by Dream-chan  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Email: dream-chan@hotmail.com  
  
  
  
it could all be so simple  
  
but you rather make it hard  
  
loving you is like a battle  
  
and we both end up with scars  
  
  
  
tell me, what do I have to be  
  
to get some rest, reciprocity  
  
no one loves you more than me  
  
and no one never will  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
In the early twilight of summer, one lone woman sat down on the tiles of the house she had called for almost four years. It would be so hard when she had to leave, but this was something she had been putting off long enough. It had to be done.  
  
  
  
Hearing the familiar climb of footsteps up a ladder, she continued to stare out into the night, waiting until it was time.  
  
  
  
"Ryoko," came the whispered call, she saw a familiar head of ebony spikes appear over the roof ledge.  
  
  
  
"Tenchi" she replied in the same quiet tone, wanting the peace to last a little longer, although she knew that it would disappear once she had to say what she wanted to. What she had to.  
  
  
  
"Before you start, I just wanted to say thank you"  
  
  
  
  
  
"For what exactly?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Looking in her golden eyes, he instantly forgot his pre-planned speech and said what had been the summary of his words. "For always being there."  
  
  
  
Giving him a small smile, she replied, "I told you that I would be," /Even if I felt like ripping your heart out as you did to me/  
  
  
  
"So what did you want to talk about?" he asked, as he gingerly sat down beside her on the cool tiles of the Masaki residence.  
  
  
  
Gathering up the resolve she had stored up for months, she looked him dead in the eye and said the words that would change everything between them.  
  
  
  
"Just to tell you that I'm leaving tomorrow. It's time for it, Tenchi."  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
is this just a silly game  
  
that forces you to act this way  
  
forces you to scream my name  
  
then pretend that you can't stay  
  
tell me, what to I have to be  
  
to get some rest some reciprocity  
  
no one loves you more than me  
  
and no one never will  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
Sighing, she continued with her intentions, not wanting to stop her momentum. "How long did you think that this was going to last?" she asked him looking into his warm umber eyes, seeing the answer already there. "You know what, don't bother replying to that, since we both know the answer to that."  
  
  
  
"Ryoko, is this about Sakuya?" he asked cautiously, not really wanting to bring up the subject, but figured that it would be good to show some initiative for once.  
  
  
  
Tilting her head a bit, she turned her attention to the ever-darkening sky. "Maybe a little, but its more than that. Frankly it's more than I am willing to tell you, so if you could please move, I will be on my way."  
  
  
  
"I said I was sorry for I behaved and you said that you forgave me. What else do I have to do?"  
  
  
  
/Love me Tenchi./  
  
  
  
"Nothing Tenchi. You don't have to do nothing. To be perfectly honest, this is my choice and decision, so you really don't have a say in this. I was just giving you fair warning. Besides, I want to say good-bye to everyone before I go.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
no matter how I think we grow  
  
you always seem to let me know  
  
it ain't workin'  
  
and when I try and walk away  
  
you hurt yourself to make me stay  
  
this is crazy  
  
this is crazy  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
"Why leave now? Why are you doing this?"  
  
  
  
"Tenchi, you know this is for the best. My time here is over, I have to move on. I can't wait any longer for you to decide who you love. I would be wasting the gift of freedom that you've given me, and I can't just disregard that." she explained to him patiently, as if she was talking to a child that couldn't understand.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Better for all of us or just better for you?" he snapped back, hoping to get the former space pirate to lose her temper. He just couldn't deal with the calm right now. It just wasn't right.  
  
  
  
"Both."  
  
  
  
"Why are you being so selfish?!?" he seethed, getting angrier by the second.  
  
  
  
With her lips forming a straight line, Ryoko just looked at him, emptiness taking the place in her heart that belonged to the young man in front of her. "You have a lot of nerve calling someone selfish Tenchi. I may love you to distraction but that doesn't mean I don't see your faults and your selfishness is one of them."  
  
  
  
"How could you say that?!? I've opened up my home to you and five other women, fought for you, protected you and in some cases even died, for you so please tell me how am I selfish"  
  
  
  
"You have the most precious thing that I could ever give you, while you give nothing in return. Now it is true all the things that you have done for me and the others, but that was done out of duty, not what me and the princess would like from you."  
  
  
  
"What is that?"  
  
  
  
"Love Tenchi, plain and simple."  
  
  
  
Groaning, he turns to her in frustrated movements. "It's not as simple as it sounds."  
  
  
  
"I'll give you that." she says blithely, giving him a quirky smile, although it was quickly replaced by the stoic expression she had been wearing since this conversation began.  
  
  
  
"But this is..." and with that, he pulled her towards him and with slow deliberate moves, placed his lips upon hers, begging for a response.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
I keep letting you back in  
  
how can I explain myself  
  
as painful as it's been  
  
I just can't be with no one else  
  
see I know what we got to do  
  
you let go and I let go too  
  
cause no one's hurt me more than you  
  
and no one ever will  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
With a gigantic effort, she put her hands up to his chest to push him away before she lost her resolve, which he probably figured would happen. He could be such a stupid bastard at times.  
  
  
  
"Stop", she demanded, shuddering at the effect of his kiss. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He couldn't even leave her any dignity.  
  
  
  
Using a calloused hand, he reached out to brush cyan bangs away from the pale face that he had memorized in his dreams, both sleeping and waking. As he was about to cup her cheek, she backed away, a look of fierce determination displayed across her feline features.  
  
  
  
"Ryo-"  
  
  
  
Clenching her fists at her sides, she repeated the same demand, this time a bit firmer.  
  
  
  
"I said stop. That's not going to work. Not now."  
  
  
  
"What happened? Why are you pushing me away? Don't you love me?"  
  
  
  
"Yes I do and I will always love you, and it's because of that very reason I have to let you go."  
  
  
  
" I don't understand..."  
  
  
  
"I didn't think you would, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that I want to leave before that love turns into something that I don't want it to." Seeing the clueless expression on his handsome face, she decided to elaborate. Placing a finger underneath his chin, she made sure they had direct eye contact so that he would know and hopefully understand what she was trying to tell him.  
  
"I don't want to end up hating you Tenchi, and as far as I can see that is exactly what will happen if I stay here. Now, please let it go."  
  
  
  
"No."  
  
  
  
"Tenchi-"  
  
  
  
"No. I'm not letting you leave here. I'm not letting you leave us." /I'm not letting you leave me./  
  
  
  
With one raised eyebrow, she laid down the law one more time. "Yes you will."  
  
  
  
"No, I won't."  
  
  
  
"Look, not to be mean or anything, but like I said before you don't have a say in this. I've already decided and that is that." she told him nonchalantly although it was taking all her energy to keep this facade going. She hoped that he would leave soon, so she could break down in peace.  
  
  
  
Giving her a pointed glare, he began to walk towards her, anger clearly seen in his brooding features. Stopping only a few inches away from her, he threw down his demand, hoping that she would see what he was really trying to tell her. What he had wanted to tell her for so long.  
  
  
  
"You can't go Ryoko." he said forcefully, daring  
  
  
  
"Why? Please enlighten me, because I don't see what is here that I should continue to stay for.", she replied haughtily, turning her attention to the now bright stars in the country sky.  
  
  
  
Now it was his turn to grasp her chin in his hand and gaze into the eyes that hid the other side of his soul.  
  
  
  
Without hesitation, he spoke the word that had been on his heart for so long.  
  
  
  
"Aishiteru" he whispered, pulling her head up for another kiss. However, Ryoko had a different reaction than the one he had anticipated. Lightning fast, she phased five feet away from him, her eyes wide and vulnerable.  
  
  
  
In a trembling voice she asked, "What did you just say?"  
  
  
  
"Aishiteru. I love you Ryoko." he said earnestly, giving her the look she would have killed for months ago. Now, it just seems dim and tarnished.  
  
  
  
With a bitter laugh, she hopes she can hide the pain that is ripping through her. Placing the fiercest scowl on her face, she levels an acid glare at the stunned man. "You know Tenchi, I never thought that you could be cruel, but it looks like you've proven me wrong once again."  
  
  
  
Inwardly sighing, he places his arms in a supplication gesture. "What is it? What did I say that is so horrible?" He was now officially confused.  
  
  
  
Shaking her head sadly, she lifts tear-drenched eyes to his and whispers, "How could you cheapen those words like that? No, I don't believe you and I don't want to hear anymore."  
  
  
  
"Ryoko, I was telling the truth. Maybe your sudden departure made me realize it, but I was telling the truth when I said I love you. Why can't you believe that?" Tenchi shouted, trying once more to get closer to the pirate.  
  
  
  
"It just sounds too convenient to me. Sorry."  
  
  
  
"Why are you being so stubborn??!?" /Why don't you love me anymore?!??/  
  
  
  
"Ask Washu, I'm sure she can tell you that. Now, if you excuse, I have to go pack."  
  
  
  
"Ryoko, please." he reached out one more time, only to be met by air.  
  
  
  
" I can't anymore...I just can't," and with those words she phased off the roof, but not before seeing a crystalline tear streak down her love's face.  
  
  
  
tbc.....  
  
  
  
Well, that's only if you want it! I just wanted to try my hand at something different, but I would like it if I could get some reader feedback. If I get enough inspiration, I'll be sure to update this fic! So, until next time....  
  
  
  
ja ne minna!!!!  
  
  
  
dream-chan 


End file.
